The 40 Best Windows 8.1 Apps

IM+

Free
If you do instant messaging, IM+, from Shape GmbH, has you covered on your Windows tablet. It supports all the major messaging platforms, including AIM, Facebook Messaging, Hangouts, Yahoo, Jabber, ICQ, and international favorites like Yandex and Vkontakte, and Gadu-Gadu. The app runs in the background, displaying "toast" notifications when messages arrive, and neatly organizes your contacts, chats and services in a very touch-friendly interface. The $4.99 Pro edition removes ads, saves your chat history, and offers a customizable Push timeout.